13 Facts to Celebrate 113 Years of Gilbert Public Schools

 

For more than a century, Gilbert Public Schools has grown alongside the community it serves. What began in 1913 as a single elementary school with four classrooms has evolved into one of Arizona’s largest public school districts, shaped by generations of students, families, educators, and community leaders. As GPS marks its 113th year in 2026, here are 13 facts about the district to highlight how it has continually adapted, expanded, and strengthened its commitment to student success while staying rooted in the values that started it all.

1. 1913: Gilbert School District is launched with the opening of Gilbert Elementary School.

The school had 4 classrooms with 2 grades in each room, serving approximately 85 students. Today, the school campus is home to HD South, Gilbert’s Historical Museum, and shares a parking lot with Gilbert Elementary School.

2. 1918: Gilbert High School has its first graduation.

In 1915, teachers at Gilbert Elementary began teaching high school classes, giving Gilbert teens a local option for school. High school students learned in available spaces at Gilbert Elementary. In 1918, Gilbert High held its first graduation with just 4 students. While the Gilbert High campus was being constructed and the school continued to grow, high school students studied outside the front of Gilbert Elementary. Today, the original Gilbert High School campus is home to the Gilbert Public Schools district office.

3. 1925: Gilbert School District begins offering bus transportation.

Before buses, students travelled to and from school on horseback, or in horse-drawn wagons or buggies. In 1925, the district started offering bus transportation for students. Today, GPS has a fleet of 190 buses that transport over 7,000 students across 11,000 miles every day.

4. 1935: Gilbert High FFA wins statewide livestock judging competition.

The team would later receive funds to travel to Kansas City, where they competed in a national judging competition. The team placed 12th out of 38 high school teams in the livestock judging contest. They also won 12th in the meat identification competition. In 2025, 90 years later, Gilbert High’s FFA team traveled to Indianapolis to compete in the National FFA Convention - earning a three-star national chapter award.

5. 1940s: Gilbert High and Gilbert Elementary expand with new buildings.

In 1940, more classrooms were needed at Gilbert Elementary to meet the needs of a growing student population. The district funded the construction of a new building, west of the south wing of Gilbert Elementary. Today, the building serves as the Neely Community Room at HD South. Gilbert High was also expanded to meet growing needs in athletics, and a gymnasium was built to replace the tin barn that basketball players had previously been playing in.

6. 1955: Marvin Morrison joins the Gilbert School Board.

Marvin Morrison, along with his brother Kenneth, helped transform Gilbert into what it is today by building their family farm into one of Arizona’s largest ranching businesses. In 1955, Marvin joined the Gilbert Unified School Board, where he served for 14 years. Today, Gilbert Public Schools provides educational services to the Morrison Ranch community with 7 different boundary school options for the neighborhood.

7. 1963: Gilbert High’s FFA wins National Gold Emblem.

In the early 1960s, Gilbert High’s FFA team earned a National Gold Emblem - one of the highest honors a school FFA chapter could win at the time.

8. 1970: GPS wins its first girls’ state championship under the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA).

In the Fall of 1972, Gilbert High’s Girls’ Volleyball team finished their season undefeated with a record of 15-0, including playoffs. The 1972 championship was the first of 5 state titles for Gilbert High. Today, high school volleyball teams can play upwards of 40 games in a season, depending on their postseason success. The first GPS boys' state championship under AIA was the 1961-62 boys’ basketball team, according to AIA online records.

9. 1981: Dr. Wally Delecki becomes Superintendent of Gilbert Unified School District.

From 1981 to 2001, Dr. Delecki served as the Superintendent of the Gilbert Unified School District. During his tenure, Gilbert Unified saw its biggest growth, opening 16 schools with a student population growing by thousands. 

10. 1991: Harris Elementary opens in the city of Mesa.

In 1991, Harris Elementary opened its doors in the city of Mesa, Arizona. Today, Gilbert Public Schools has 10 campuses in the City of Mesa, including Augusta Ranch Elementary, Boulder Creek Elementary, Canyon Rim Elementary, Canyon Valley School, Desert Ridge Junior, Desert Ridge High, Harris Elementary, Highland Junior,  Meridian Elementary, and Superstition Springs Elementary.

11. 2000: GPS students travel abroad with Sister Cities.

Planning for Gilbert Sister Cities began in the late 1990s, but in 2000, the student exchange program started with Gilbert students visiting Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Leshan, China, was later added to the Gilbert Sister Cities program in the summer of 2010. Today, Gilbert Public Schools students continue to visit Newtownabbey and Leshan through Gilbert Sister Cities.

12. 2018: GPS was named the 4th best school district in the nation.

The National Council for Home Safety and Security develops articles and reports on safety and security. In 2018, a report ranked school districts across the country based on several factors, including student performance and dropout rates. Gilbert Public Schools was ranked 4th in the country on that report.

13. 2026: GPS continues to offer high-quality programs and educational choice to Arizona families as an A-rated school district.

Today, GPS is home to over 31,000 students and over 4,500 staff members across 39 schools and the district. For the 2025-26 school year, GPS has 32 A-rated schools from the Arizona Department of Education and 13 schools with an A+ School of Excellence award from the Arizona Educational Foundation. 

For 113 years, Gilbert Public Schools has served the Gilbert and Mesa communities alongside tremendous growth and changes, with generations of students having passed through its classrooms. As the district looks ahead, it remains committed to providing high-quality educational choice for East Valley families. While remaining true to its rich history and culture, it is interesting to think - what will the next 113 years look like for Gilbert Public Schools?